bringing up baby/toddler.

annsixty thank you so much - independence was what we wanted for her (as well as all the rest!) but it was a hard struggle at times as she had so much major surgery as a child and teenager and then serious mental health problems, but she's a fighter and was always determined to stand on her own foot ;) - to the extent that, even after her leg amputation at the age of 15, she insisted on returning to school in the autumn before her prosthetic leg was ready, struggling in on crutches, to the stares of the other children, because she didn't want to fall behind with work. Through the worst times, she's always fought back and had a drive to be independent - don't think it was anything we did though!
But I digress. Deedaa and Tresco it's lovely to know that others to the signing too and that it works well. Elena signs a lot, but I worry that I'm missing some of her signs sometimes and not responding to them. I still have to learn more of them myself to understand what she signs, but I'm improving!

coolgran probably... Kindles can be weird.

I've just spent the afternoon with my almost 16 months DGD - she is using signs and loves it when you understand what she means. She's particularly keen on animals - signs for dog,cat, monkey and mouse used appropriately. Today in the library she pointed at a book on a high shelf and signed dog - it had a dog on the cover. It's great fun for both of us.

Baby signing is brilliant rowantree Life is so much easier if a baby who can't speak yet can make himself understood. With GS1 and 2 we started off with Milk, More, Yes, and Biscuit and went on from there. You can have surprisingly long conversations with a signing baby and of course you have to give them a lot of attention because you can't just listen with half an ear like you can with speech. GS2 is 26 months now and beginning to string words together but he still has a tendency to use speech to clarify his signing if I'm being particularly dim.

I would be a proud mum too rowantree .you did a good job bringing up your DD and making her so independent. Some parents of children with a disability just want to wrap them in cotton wool. She is a credit to you.

Anya I'm on Kindle, perhaps that's why link not picking up.

Elena thanks for that information.

Coolgran, your family sound great!

The official advice about TV (discourage TV until 2) is from the American Association of Pediatrics - it's not that it 'over stimulates' so much, it's because it is not interactive, and babies and toddlers need responses and to be able to influence what they see and hear (one reason why smartphones and iPads are so beguiling to even very young children).

My DGD is 18 months and still co-sleeps and breast-feeds on demand. She is a very happy and contented child but doesn't sleep well at all. DD has a disability - prosthetic leg - so co sleeping suits them well because it would be difficult to remove and fix her leg every time she got up for DGD. She is happy at night but decides about 4am that it's party-time and one of them has to take her downstairs so the other can sleep. Not great, and they are exhausted, but still feel it's best for them all.
DGD was never given 'baby food' or any kind of mushy stuff, though they did cut things up small for her. She was encouraged to choose foods from a selection they prepared for her (baby-led weaning). The high chair wasn't much used - she sits at the table on a booster seat and usually they eat together.
They also do 'baby signing' and 'attachment parenting' - I am still learning about this and sometimes think with amusement of how some ideas are 're-marketed' as new when they simply have another name.
I'm still in two minds about the signing but there is no doubt that she communicates well and understands a huge amount even though she doesn't say many 'real' words. She's confident and gregarious and a sheer delight.
Our baby-rearing was different in some ways, but they are excellent and loving parents and DD does a lot with her and also takes her to different groups with other mothers and toddlers/babies. It's not easy for her with her disability (she also has sight in one eye only and a hand deformity) but I'm so proud of her for being such a good mother (though she thinks she's rubbish!)

Excellent. And to be able to hire them too.

Brilliant Anya isn't it?

Just googled NCT bednests Vegas - what a clever idea.

My DGD is 9 months old and my DD rented a bed nest from the NCT to use for the first few months - all the advantages of co-sleeping with none of the risks. You get a new mattress with each rental.

Thanks Ariadne - I'm never sure these links are going to work.

Worked OK for me.

Link works OK for me. Are others finding it doesn't work?

Link didn't work.

Love Peppa Pig

This Fact Sheet on Bedsharing is probably a better link

NOT 'only if'

Yes, those above do increase the risk but perhaps this will make the picture clearer. You may not recognise the name Lullaby Trust Absent as it changed its name The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) possibly after you left the UK.

Co-sleeping is thought to increase the risk of SIDS only if:

the adults are smokers;
the adults are drunk;
the adults have taken drugs;
the adults are obese.

Recent research has suggested that additional risks include co-sleeping with adults who are not the parents and co-sleeping with very young parents.

Another Peppa Pig fan here!

The storylines are quite moral and feel-good-ish, aren't they?

I do love Daddy Pig!

DGD is coming over tomorrow, I can watch Peppa Pig without feeling guilty!
(she's 3)
You can learn quite a lot from Peppa Pig

My GDs are 8 now but used to love Peppa Pig - so did I! They'll still watch it now (we've got a couple of DVDs) if they feel like a bit of comfort-viewing.

Mr Tumble was a great favourite too.

Certainly not 'inane' in my opinion.

I didn't put on children's tv which i think is inane

Oh dear, I do like Peppa Pig
and Mister Maker
and Mr Tumbles



(we don't watch very much, I hasten to add!)

Young friends of ours had a premature baby who came home on oxygen and a sleep monitor. They bought a co-sleeping cot which is 3 sided and placed right up to the side of the parents' bed. It allowed them to keep a very close eye on their tiny baby without actually having her in the bed or taking it in turns to sit beside her cot.